Puffin Chat with Stacey Hollis

Tune in on Tuesday, 9/12, at 12 pm PDT / 3 pm ET as we host a chat with Stacey Hollis! Stacey will answer all your pressing questions from this past puffin season while giving us a sneak peak at Seal Island. The chat will run live on the Puffin Loafing Ledge Cam.

Please make sure to submit your questions here beforehand as she will not be able to receive questions once we begin the live chat.

Is it known whether or not pufflings might congregate at any point for their journey out to Sea?

Puffinmuffin

When the chicks fledge do they remain with the colony? Do they stay in the sea nearby waiting to accompany the adults?

Puffinmuffin

Now that Willie and Billie are banded we need physical characteristics to tell them apart. Are there any characteristics noted about them?

JAPChicago104

What happened to the Puffin Cam on the Loafing Ledge? Looks like it took quite a beating over the last week or 2 – were the ravens working it over thinking it was a Puffin?

FReuter

Do you plan on doing research at any other locations?

dimetrie

Billie and Willie seemed really confused and upset when they couldn’t find Conrad back at the burrow (Billie held on to the fishes for an hour and Willie stayed in the hidey hole for like 8 hours…), are these normal reactions from parent puffins?

Doreen

Thank you for asking this question Dimetrie. I was very upset watching them during this time and was very worried about them.

dimetrie

I was quite upset too, it was hard to watch.

AMa.

Hi stacebird The puffins molding their feathers – when, how much, how long it lasts, how often this happens, how much this limits their mobility etc – Much appreciated to learn more about this phenomenon.

Sarah Cochran

Are the grey seals still out frolicking or are they waiting for everyone to leave so they can hang out on the shore?

AMa.

1. How do the puffins make their calls? They seem to use all the muscles in their body when you see them up close. (Silly suggestion: Are the nostrils their “trumpet”?)
2. Do they have vocal cords?

Doreen

Hi Stacey. Forgive me if all have been answered but I don’t check in that often so I miss a lot.
1. How long will you be on Seal Island?
2. Are they any Puffins remaining?
3. When was the last fledge and when did last Puffin leave?
4. Has it been found out yet the gender of Billie and Willie?
Other questions I had were asked by others below – thank you!
Again, sorry if all had been answered. And, thank you for all you do!

Robin Lenner

How long has this project been underway and what are its future goals? How is it funded? How can people support or get involved?

Kurtis Lisi

What are some threats that puffin colonies face at this time of the year? What about at other times of the year?

What has a normal day been like for you during your time on Seal Island, Stacey?

Rebecca

What is it about this place that keeps you coming back? How did you get this gig, and what would you tell young people who are interested in having adventures like you are having?

MamaDenise

Is there a data base for banded puffins that have been sighted on other Island or Seal and can we access it to check on past fledglings?

MamaDenise

After reading about a puffin that lost its bearings due to the storms and ended up rescued in London, how do strong storms affect the birds?

MamaDenise

Several on the chat were concerned when they noticed W&B’s beaks were molting. Can you talk a little bit about this process.

Matthew Podolsky

How is climate change impacting the puffins and other seabirds of Seal Island?

Sean Bogle

Hi Stacey, I am currently working on St. Paul Island, Alaska (Pribilof Islands) where there are more than 230 species of migrating seabirds including common murres, crested auklets, tufted and horned puffins, cormorants, and red legged kittiwakes. Seabird productivity on the the Pribilofs has been declining over the years and is at its lowest today, not to mention the northern fur seal population. My question to you is, how is the seabird population faring on Seal Island compared to other populations around the planet and is there a correlation between the status of the populations? It’s obvious that the data from Puffin Project is invaluable to better understand the ecosystem, but how does your experience on Sea Island personally affect you?

http://www.feathersawry.wordpress.com stacebird

Question from aprilowl: Do the mated couples spend any time at sea together? Do the pufflings travel at sea in a group? Also where do the immature puffins spend time during the nesting season? Thanks, apologies if the questions have already been asked and answered..

Do you know how the puffin chick population did this summer (2017)? I have a friend in Iceland who said the population is severely down on Westman Island.
Do you know the latest on this?

Linda Mitchell

Hope you can read my mind…sorry…I meant to say in Iceland

Barbara

Out of all the things you do on the island from day to day, what is your favorite research thing you enjoy, and of all the seabirds you monitor, which one is the one you enjoy watching the most. Thanks for all you do.

Patima

Is Foundation doing anything to prevent over-fishing, protect their habitat and how to assist them for the effect of Global Warming?

dimetrie

Sorry for re-posting the question because I think it was skipped due to the buffering issue: Billie and Willie seemed really confused and upset when they couldn’t find Conrad back at the burrow (Billie held on to the fishes for an hour and Willie stayed in the hidey hole for like 8 hours…), are these normal reactions from parent puffins?

Barbara

Do you know what your plans are for next season, where you will be researching?